https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:38:44 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150875 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:29:20 +0000 DillonLion 150875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: In that case the teenager would face some serious consequences at home like grounding/taking away cell phone/car/etc. for a specific amount of time (maybe a week)? </p> <p>It's a serious offense that can land you in jail if you steal the wrong thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150853 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:21:11 +0000 mediagirl 150853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sulli301: @jessiejo17: @highwire: I'm definitely talking about an older kid - a teenager. That's what made me think about it. A younger child I think needs to learn right from wrong. A teenager knows right from wrong.</p> <p>I took some rubber stoppers from a hardware store (they were pretty colors!!) when I was 6 and had to return them, apologize to the owners of the store and tell them I understood what I did was wrong. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150850 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:20:06 +0000 yoursilverlining 150850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don’t know – but I do know that if LO ever ends up on probation for anything, she’ll also be concurrently grounded by us! If you are on probation for breaking laws, you are not going to be out having fun with your friends! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150844 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:17:04 +0000 sulli301 150844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: It depends on the age, are we talking 5 or 15? DH took a piece of candy once because he had asked his mom &amp; she was distracted....long story short; he thought she said he could have it but she had said "no" &amp; when he got to the car she FREAKED out &amp; he never (to this day!) got to explain his little 5 year old self :( Makes me tear up thinking about it! If LO was a teenager then I would make her go into the store &amp; apologize to the manager, pay for the item/return the item &amp; then punish her at home by taking away something/grounding probably. If LO was 5 then we would probably take her back to return it, explain why it isn't okay or "free" &amp; then teach a good lesson. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150837 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:13:14 +0000 DillonLion 150837@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: Agh. Ditto. Only 2 times in my life (once at age 7, and once at age 16) and I still feel horrible about it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150833 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:11:54 +0000 chopsuey 150833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depends on how old she is..<br /> Not gonna lie, DH and I have both stolen things so hoping LO doesn't! It's gonna be hard to keep a straight face! :P :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150832 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:11:30 +0000 DillonLion 150832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It depends on the age, but there would definitely be some kind of punishment involved (a time out/grounding) in addition to a sit down discussion about why it is wrong. They would need to return it and apologize, but like others have said, I definitely wouldn't make a big public embarrassment scenario for them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150824 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:05:59 +0000 LuLu Mom 150824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is difficult, I for one wouldn't be allowign my daughter back in a store with her friends when on a probationary period for a recent arrest/trouble. She would be grounded and on lockdown/parential supervision for a long time. However, if it did happen I would make them return the item to the store, apologize, and go from there. </p> <p>A teenager should know better, if my 4 year old stole candy because we said no, I would make them return it, as a 15 year old, I would have a much tougher punishment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150814 Mon, 07 May 2012 15:00:52 +0000 Arden 150814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, I definitely would not go the intercom route or apologize to every employee.<br /> I don't think shame is a healthy way to teach.</p> <p>I would however have them return the item, apologize to the manager, and then work to pay for what they took.<br /> We'd also have a conversation, and then drop it and not bring it up again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150790 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:52:54 +0000 MamaMoose 150790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eh I think going to every employee just for the sake of embarrassing the child is unnecessary. I would just make the child return the item (probably to a store manager) and apologize and then when we got home we would have a nice long conversation about not taking things that don't belong to you and why it's not OK. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-would-you-do-if-your-child-was-caught-shoplifting#post-150781 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:47:13 +0000 mediagirl 150781@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I were walking out of Target yesterday and heard three teenagers talking. One was describing her probationary period because she was caught shoplifting! Hubs and I started talking about what we would do if our daughter was caught shoplifting.</p> <p>I like the embarrassment route. Make her go up to every employee in the store and apologize for shoplifting (even if they weren't there that day). He said he would make her do one better and get on the intercom, state her name and age, what she stole and that she was sorry. </p> <p>What would you do? </p>